


wolf's flower

by jaxial



Series: it doesn't mean we're on the same side [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst with a Happy Ending, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT) is Whipped, descendants & school of good and evil fusion, extreme crossovers, first actual full length oneshot, happy nana day, is it really angst tho, it's just mark being oblivious and hyuck being dry, jeno in a man bunnnn, lowkey norenmin, they're just the offspring of heroes & villains, this is word vomit but in a good way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 14:30:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20229415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaxial/pseuds/jaxial
Summary: being the son of the big bad wolf, mark wonders where big, bad and ugly disappeared on him. maybe that's why donghyuck doesn't even want him.or alternatively,donghyuck gets a boyfriend and mark is a mess.





	wolf's flower

**Author's Note:**

> yooooo i was so inspired by the latest descendants movie which i just finished watching and I HAD TO WRITE THIS  
this is part of a series so in future hopefully all nct members will appear haha
> 
> enjoy!

mark just tries his very best.

lee donghyuck kicks his feet back on mark’s painstakingly cleaned desk, black boots polished to a glittery shine and leather straps bracketing his skinny ankles. the boy peers at mark through unsettling green eyes, lips curling into a mocking smirk when mark growls involuntarily, traces of his wolf heritage seeping through the cracks in his pristine mask.

the son of the big bad wolf rolls his eyes, pushing up his glasses higher on his nose. he shoves donghyuck away from his desk. “get out,” he deadpans, brushing one finely manicured hand off his shoulder. he can —quite literally— smell donghyuck’s amusement from where he’s sitting.

there really no one other than mark himself who’s to blame for having such an insufferable best friend. mark wonders how he’s made the worst decision in his life by picking up a book and returning it to another kid when he was five. said kid also happened to have little vines crawling up his normal coloured skin and flowers bursting to life in his thick hair. just mark’s luck to run into him, apparently.

the son of poison ivy only whines at mark to let him stay, going as far as to grab mark’s hand and intertwine their fingers together in a coy little plan to soften mark. mark resolutely refuses to meet donghyuck’s eyes.

alas, trying doesn’t guarantee success. donghyuck wraps himself around mark like an oversized koala, nuzzling into mark’s broad shoulder and sniffing him. donghyuck smells like honeysuckle and wild roses, of natural poisons and alluring fragrance all the same. mark’s nose twitches.

the younger boy gets shrugged off onto mark’s bed, whereas mark decides he’d better clear up his living space before his mom comes in and starts screeching about bedroom cleanliness again. whoever said that little red riding hood was a sweet little girl is a liar, mark thinks, shuddering at the thought. he ignores donghyuck’s relentless pleas for cuddles, instead focusing on how to beat categorise his new set of books.

“minhyung,” donghyuck calls, pouting incessantly. the younger sounds petulant, impatient even, as mark tries not to melt at the honey voice. he freezes and exhales long, turning to glare at donghyuck. “what?” mark pulls off his glasses and rubs his forehead, setting the silvery metal down on his desk.

“i came here to cuddle, not watch you be nerdy,” donghyuck reprimands, opening his arms wide. “come on, mom’s expecting me home at seven and i want actual cuddles before i get back.” mark spares a glance at the clock sitting on his vacated desk. the little claws on the clock face reads half past six. he sighs, and relents, stepping within donghyuck’s reach and resigning himself to the younger boy pulling him down to the bed. flowers and poison flood his nostrils, but not unbearably.

donghyuck is not like his mother, at least not a lot. he lacks the pale green skin and actual nightshade growing on his body, but he does have his mother’s unusually sharp tongue. donghyuck looks pretty normal —caramel skin and all— when he’s not sprouting little red flowers on his head and little vines of ivy from his skin. mark remembers donghyuck telling him the flowers were poisonous desert roses, but he doesn’t really care.

mark can’t say the same for himself. he’s almost just a normal human kid, through and through, and although his father has long accepted the fact that his precious son is nothing like him, mark can always scent the underlying disappointment. mark really doesn’t understand where big, bad and ugly disappeared on him, but he doesn’t really mind. at least he’s got retractable canines and claws to match, not to mention untameable hair.

donghyuck sighs in pleasure, drawing mark back to the present. mark curls a hesitant arm around donghyuck’s waist and caresses the boy’s cheek with his other hand. donghyuck leans into his touch unconsciously, loosing small noises that tug at mark’s heartstrings. comfort softens all donghyuck’s edges and his spiky appearance, making him seem smaller than life. mark feels an overwhelming urge to just keep donghyuck here, in his arms and safe from the world.

mark traces the lines of donghyuck’s body, over the ridges of his jacket and his denim shorts. there’s a hint of green on the skin where his veins are prominent, right where his jaw meets his neck. mark nuzzles the skin there, scenting donghyuck deeply.

donghyuck stirs. “creepy much?” comes the teasing question. mark flushes, retracting his hand in a hurry. donghyuck’s eyes meet his, vivid red like rare foxglove meeting mark’s brown speckled with gold. his inner wolf howls at donghyuck’s gentle smile, but mark’s still just another idiot. he pushes donghyuck away.

standing up, he shoots a glance at the clock. fifteen minutes to seven. “you should head home soon,” he says, trying desperately to quell his frantic heartbeat. it’s loud enough to be heard by donghyuck if he strains, and mark doesn’t want that. he doesn’t want donghyuck to know he has feelings, ever.

he’s pretty sure donghyuck doesn’t feel the same.

it’s like some sort of unspoken agreement— neither of them should catch feelings, and besides, there are more pressing matters at hand, like mark’s pending application to university ever. mark’s supposed to be some badass villain, not a lovesick fool for someone who’s never really gonna be his.

donghyuck’s going to have his story, and mark will have his own too. they’re star-crossed, and mark just wants to finally get out of this prison. he wants out, and he wants it now.

never mind that donghyuck is the most important person in his life. never mind that mark will inevitably get his heart broken when donghyuck waltzes into the future without even a glance backward. mark accepts his fate, no questions asked.

“okay,” donghyuck agrees with him, hopping off mark’s bed. he fluffs his unruly hair, flicks imaginary dust off his bomber jacket and breezes past mark, blowing a kiss his way. “i think you’d better change your sheets, hyung. i might’ve stepped on them. later, loser!”

mark stares back at his dirty sheets with a sigh. the room still reeks of mark’s pheromones and donghyuck’s sweet scent.

mark throws his windows open and attempts to not scream in frustration.

..

donghyuck is alluring. he’s everything mark has ever wanted and something mark would give up anything for. mark thinks he’s an idiot, but he can’t help it.

watching donghyuck across him munch on mark’s graham crackers and cackling at the characters on the tv screen is singularly gratifying. donghyuck’s lovely face is illuminated by the light and it casts his face into vivid relief, all perfect and ethereal.

mark could just about die right now.

“hyung, look,” donghyuck calls, pointing at that one character who’s flopped his mission and is now tumbling down roof tiles. “he’s an idiot. doesn’t he know that villains never come unprepared?”

mark nods in agreement. the flowers in donghyuck’s hair are small buds, pale green against brown and mark imagines that donghyuck is a tree, a really gorgeous and noisy tree. it suits him.

when donghyuck leans ever closer into mark’s welcoming arms, mark buries his nose into donghyuck’s hair and leans back until he’s horizontally propped up on the couch, head on the armrest. donghyuck clutches at mark’s hands wrapped around him, giggling at mark’s attempts to tickle him.

this is bliss, and peace and contentment. mark wishes it could last forever but donghyuck isn’t his and this won’t last. mark presses a kiss to donghyuck’s neck and he stops giggling to look down at mark, eyes big and expectant.

mark should confess. he wants to confess but donghyuck’s skin is turning greener by the moment and mark doesn’t think donghyuck actually likes him back. it’s just a spur of the moment thing that donghyuck’s probably going to forget the next day.

but he enjoys it, as much as he can. he runs a hand underneath donghyuck’s loose shirt –or is it mark’s? he can’t tell— and strokes his flat tummy in long, languid strokes, slow and deliberate. donghyuck melts in his arms like putty, sweet and lovely.

the tv plays on. donghyuck’s hair bursts into bloom, the aroma of roses filling the room, mark’s nostrils and sending his pheromones haywire. he’s already half mad with donghyuck here purring like a cat and smelling like drugs and flowers; donghyuck’s hair drives him almost completely down the cliff.

mark wants it to last. he desperately, painfully wants it to last because donghyuck is his best friend and he wants them to be together all the time, forever. donghyuck could be anywhere in the world and mark would chase him relentlessly until donghyuck was right next to him.

donghyuck snuggles deeper into mark’s embrace. “hyung, can i sleep over tonight?” he asks, voice lilting with sleep. mark hums an affirmation and picks up the sleepy boy, makes him comfortable in his arms and heads to his bedroom. donghyuck sighs in contentment.

he tugs mark’s blankets over himself, but mark can feel his body heat radiating from mere feet away. donghyuck is warm, like summer nights and the beach wind and winter sunshine. donghyuck’s come from somewhere near the sea and somewhere humid— it would explain the tanned skin and freckles dotting his skin like a thousand stars.

mark wants to cry because he really is a coward and he really wants to confess but donghyuck is fast asleep. he looks peaceful like this, safe and cocooned within a protective barrier mark won’t breach.

“next time,” mark whispers. next time he’ll do it.

..

the next day, jaemin rushes into his house, scatterbrained as usual and shouting a quick hello to mark’s dad, who’s reading a newspaper in the front porch. the big bad wolf’s muzzle is half hidden behind cheap paper, bright golden eyes peering at jaemin from behind gold rimmed glasses not unlike mark’s. “oh, hello jaemin. mark is inside.”

jaemin nods a quick affirmation to the grey-furred wolf and dashes into the living room where mark is just casually snipping pieces of washi tape for a scrapbook project. it’s one of the countless pre-graduation projects created just to torment the kids who want a high school certificate, and mark especially hates the theme for this year. _A VILLAIN’S DAY_ is printed in mark’s neat handwriting on the cover of the pretty notebook.

mark knows this notebook well. it was an eighteenth birthday gift from donghyuck.

“lee minhyung,” jaemin pants, seemingly even more frazzled than usual. mark barely even lifts his head to acknowledge him. “dude, can you actually listen to me for once?” the son of the joker rubs a hand on his face, ruining the intricate makeup. mark cringes at the tone jaemin uses, so serious and so unlike him it sends chills up mark’s spine.

“what is it?” mark really isn’t interested in this.

“donghyuck’s got a boyfriend.” at this, mark’s head snaps up faster than he can comprehend, eyes flashing a gold he rarely shows. jaemin stares back at him, mismatched eyes deadly serious. mark swears he could’ve heard the blatant truth a mile away because jaemin might be funny, but he would never in his wildest schemes lie about something like this.

that’s probably because jaemin is the only person in this whole world who knows mark’s dirty little secret.

mark steadies his hitching breath and forces the dull ache in his chest down, down, down. “so?” he manages to grit out, teeth grinding harshly together. he doesn’t even need to touch his mouth to know that his canines are sharpening at a terrifying rate, adrenaline spiking because of the jealousy and fear building up inside him. he feels like a dam that’s going to burst at any moment. “does it matter to me?”

“does it matter to you?” jaemin laughs disbelievingly. “_of course_ it matters to you! this is _donghyuck_ we’re talking about! aren’t you going to at least _fight_ for him?”

mark wills his temper down. he tosses his forgotten project aside and sweeps all his coloured pens into a box with a loud clatter. the other ornaments are stowed back into their respective containers. mark’s trying not to explode because he’s frustrated and angry and sad at himself and he just wants to crawl into his warm blankets and sob.

talk about being fucking useless.

“the only use i have right now is to congratulate him,” mark replies dryly, flexing his fingers. veins have crawled up his muscled hands, signalling a transformation of smooth, slender hands to razor sharp claws. mark breathes slowly, in and out, in and out. the veins vanish.

jaemin huffs in equal indignation and exasperation. mark knows he’s being stubborn but damn if he isn’t trying to keep a cool head right now. does jaemin honestly think he’s going to take this type of news well? mark doesn’t really have a reputation for his good temper.

he beckons to jaemin, has him sit down and catch his breath. it’s obvious that jaemin has run all the way from somewhere, just to deliver the news. theirs is a small town, gossip travels fast, but jaemin must’ve thought he had to know as soon as possible. mark is grateful and yet unbelievably upset. he should’ve known better.

“what’re you going to about it?” jaemin asks, squinting at mark to gauge his expression. mark doesn’t betray any of the raging storm inside him, instead offers jaemin a half-smile.

“we go to find donghyuck, what else?”

..

mark’s not ready for this.

he’s not ready to be greeted with donghyuck on the arm of a simply enormous guy, with swept back hair and the biggest eyes he’s ever seen. jaemin whispers a discreet _yukhei _in his ear, which mark takes to be his name, and then tacks a _son of odile_ behind that label because the black swan tattoo on yukhei’s shoulder is just that big.

then again, he doesn’t really know who odile married to end up with such a good-looking son but that’s not really his problem. his only problem is that donghyuck is looking at him like this yukhei hung the stars and the moon in the sky. what’s worse is that roses are blooming in donghyuck’s hair, vibrant against brown locks. mark wants to throw up so bad.

he ducks behind a tree, dragging jaemin with him into the dense underbrush as he tries to catch his breath. there’s a sort of dull ache in his heart where donghyuck used to be with his snarky jokes and flower-smelling breath. it’s just hard accepting that blatant fact and mark wants to dig a hole, jump in and never come out.

“so much for confrontation,” jaemin laments, extending a hand to mark. mark takes it and pulls himself to his feet, dusting off his leather jacket. his hair is mussed up from the run, and he’s a little too dishevelled for his own liking. jaemin shudders at him.

mark shakes his head. “i can’t do this.”

“why not?”

“i won’t ruin this for him.” mark’s as certain of this as anything in his life. donghyuck deserves to be happy and even if it’s not with him mark will still be happy for him.

that’s the very least, he thinks.

if he can’t give donghyuck the world, at least someone else will.

..

the teachers really do have some sort of vendetta against the villain kids.

lee jeno, son of the glamorous scarlet witch, received a generous grade on his project that probably took half the time mark took to make his. mark received an order to remake it because _it’s not up to standard, mark_.

it’s probably just because the whole world fears his dad, mark thinks. eve prep bustles with activity, villain kids mingling with the good kids because this is a new world, and everyone wants a handle on who’s the most likely to end up as their future nemesis. mark doubts he’s even on the list for _possible bad guys_. mark’s just the typical boy next door and he hates it.

mark slinks silently through the campus, waving back at the circled cliques who shout friendly hellos. he doesn’t make a move to join any of them, even when he knows he can. he steers clear of where yukhei is sitting with his supremely popular clique and decides that his hidden corner under a big maple tree is the best place to enjoy his lunch.

his hair is tucked under a beanie today, because he’s not in the mood to fix the ugly mess it is in the morning. his pheromones are going haywire and he doesn’t doubt that even jaemin can smell it, popping his head up from the conversation he’s having. mark thinks that he sees donghyuck’s distinctive figure amongst the huddle but dismisses it as a trick of the eye.

it’s still day one. he can’t be missing his donghyuck so badly.

mark settles underneath the shade of the tree, digging out a wrapped sandwich from his rucksack. he isn’t judged all that harshly, seeing as he still half hero from his mom’s side. it’s a different story for the pure villain kids like jaemin, being antagonized just because they’re villain kids. at least jaemin gets by with his idiocy and sense of humor.

mark really needs to start doing his work and stop _thinking_.

he opens half a dozen books and arranges them in a half circle around him, trying to read just about anything to get his mind off donghyuck. _donghyuck’s happy_, he tells himself. its no use pining after something that’s already gone.

mark swallows another bite of ham and cheese and avocado and tries to get his eyes to focus on the words in front of him.

there’s a shout that sounds suspiciously like donghyuck coming from behind the tree. mark brushes it off, because his mind is playing tricks on him and making him imagine sounds. even if it really is donghyuck shouting, he sounds so happy.

for someone like donghyuck, mark thinks back to the time when he was the only one who could make donghyuck laugh like that. guess he lost the privilege when he let donghyuck go without even a fight.

mark continues munching, sweeping away the stray leaf that falls on his books. he won’t think about this.

jaemin would call this phase of his ‘in denial’. mark doesn’t exactly disagree.

“hiding again, mark lee?” renjun, son of shan yu, shows up with jeno and chenle in tow. the petite boy is so at odds with his towering father, but genes have never worked right with any of them. chenle, son of mulan, stands beside the child of his parents’ mortal enemy and surprisingly, there seems to be no clashes of personality. unlike their parents, these two clicked well. and then well, there’s jeno, who smells like soap and peppermint and has a cute little man bun.

said boy grins sheepishly and tries futilely to hide all his books, flushing bright red. renjun tuts at him and nudges his cheek. “the better question is: who are you hiding from? donghyuck?” he shoots glances at jeno and chenle. “we heard he’s really busy with his new boyfriend now.”

“yeah.” mark doesn’t waste his breath. renjun’s words feel like punches to his sternum and damn, they hurt.

renjun and his boys plop themselves down around mark and pointedly glare. “is there something wrong? i thought you’d be elated and spending time with hyuckie.”

“i would be, if he didn’t break my heart in the process,” mark mutters under his breath. he summons a mindless smile which he directs at renjun, eyes flashing. “there’s nothing wrong. i’m perfectly fine.”

renjun shrugs. “if you say so.” renjun’s scent, of oranges and a summer sea, feels tangy to mark’s senses as it sweetens considerably.

mark understands the hidden message underneath layers of stinging remarks, and ultimately, he’s grateful.

_we’ll be here if you need us,_ jeno’s trusting eyes seem to say.

..

back home, mark lies on his bed, stares up at his ceiling and wonders when his life turned into this walking mess. life is extremely unfair, and he doesn’t want a part of this at all.

he wonders if donghyuck is going to come around. probably not.

the little stars on his ceiling wink at him cheekily, and mark is drawn back to the time when he and donghyuck stood on their tiptoes atop stacked chairs trying to put them up. it had been such an exhilarating experience, and that was the first time mark ever thought donghyuck’s bright grin was brilliant.

there were flowers in his hair that day too.

donghyuck is such an enigma, loving him and pushing him away, touching him and then someone else just because he can. mark can’t and won’t stop him because he just likes donghyuck that much.

_screw that_, mark murmurs, curling his hand into a fist and then relaxing. veins run up the length of his inner forearm in lines of muscle. despite donghyuck’s constant teasing of him not inheriting any ‘manly’ genes from his dad, mark actually does have some decent muscle mass.

he really has to stop thinking about donghyuck. it isn’t healthy, and he doesn’t think donghyuck actually misses him. sleep evades him, running like a spooked fox and mark’s too exhausted to chase it down.

he just wants everything to go back to normal, is that too much to ask? mark turns onto his side and buries his face into his pillow. he freezes.

the pillow still has traces of donghyuck’s scent.

..

mark isn’t really brave, you see.

he’s just a big coward who thinks that being a no-show is the best way to vent his feelings. _no big surprise there_, mark thinks, absentmindedly playing with the ring on his left hand.

they’re in a small shop, owned by chenle’s mother and decorated in the most oriental way possible. red lanterns, patterned dividers and plush chinese rugs— name anything and there it would be. mark kicks his feet against the pretty wooden table, sipping on a drink chenle whipped up minutes ago.

strawberry and mint explode in his mouth and it’s _heavenly_. it’s cold and sugary and smooth ice on his tongue and mark should learn how to make this. its just so good he half wonders if chenle bribed his mom into making it instead.

“you’re still not gonna talk about it?” renjun presses gently, shifting around so that the sunlight filtering in through the blinds doesn’t hit on his face directly. renjun’s white tee reflects light and it reminds mark of donghyuck, all bright and sparkly and pretty.

it’s such a pity that mark has decided to run, again.

it’s been a week, a week of mark avoiding donghyuck in inconspicuous ways— dodging donghyuck at his locker, taking the long road to school because he doesn’t want to chance upon donghyuck being all lovey-dovey with his new boyfriend, sitting under his tree for lunch instead of at their usual table. or maybe it isn’t all that inconspicuous and mark just plain stupid.

mark twirls his straw and rubs the tattoo on his neck. it’s something he and donghyuck both agreed to get on a whim, tattoos that symbolize their villain heritage. mark has a howling wolf permanently inked onto his skin.

donghyuck’s tattoo is a swirling curl of intertwined desert roses and wolfsbane. it’s ironic to put his own flower alongside what’s supposed to be mark’s worst enemy but donghyuck is weird and he says that _indigo and red make good aesthetics_. mark can’t argue.

poison ivy and the big bad wolf. a match made in heaven, or so mark thinks.

“no,” mark hums, stirring his smoothie. chenle, sitting next to him, drops another berry into his drink and watches it sink to the bottom of mark’s glass forlornly. his scent bitters from daisies and aloe vera to sandalwood. “it’s really nothing. i’m fine, okay?”

jeno shakes his head. “no, you’re not. even i can see that.”

the bell of the shop tinkles and jaemin struts in, dressed unusually fashionably and with his hair combed for once. a new haircut brings jaemin’s sharp jawline into clear relief, and his makeup is impeccable. jaemin strides up to their table and takes a seat, grinning widely at mark. “stop being in denial, mark lee. i’ve been searching for you _everywhere_.”

mark barely looks up. “you didn’t have to.”

“yes, i have a moral obligation to.” jaemin breezes on, playing with his manicured nails. blue eyeshadow brings out jaemin’s eyes really well, but mark brushes that thought aside to deal with the matter at hand. “donghyuck’s been asking where you’ve been.”

mark scoffs. “he’d know he if he’d ever bothered to come around anymore.” some of it is spite, some of it is hurt, and most of it is bitter regret at himself. anyhow, it’s directed at the uncanny victim, donghyuck, in the form of biting words mark hardly ever says.

“mark,” renjun snaps, ready to call him out when jaemin shoots him a glare, telling him what words can’t. mark worries his bottom lip and tries to immerse himself in his book once again to no avail. he can feel renjun’s gaze softening to understanding, and a warm hand on his back, gently squeezing his shoulder.

“i’m sorry.”

“you have no reason to be.”

“I should’ve known, to be honest,” renjun sighs, and mark can hear jeno’s laughter. chenle seems still out of the loop, but jeno— he seems to understand mark’s plight, even just a little. villain kids aren’t known for their ability to comfort, but jeno as a hero kid doesn’t even try to comfort him.

he simply reaches for mark’s hand and squeezes. mark’s heart warms.

“i told hyuck i was coming here,” jaemin cuts in. mark’s head snaps up to stare at jaemin, horrified that he would do that. “i thought you’d want a chance to talk this out.”

mark doesn’t even get a chance to reply when the same boy pushes open the door of the shop, bells tinkling as if to welcome his very presence. donghyuck, draped in a hoodie mark barely recognizes as his own.

suddenly the lights seem to bright, the chatter too loud. mark looks away, heart beating a thousand times a minute and so, so painfully. renjun shifts himself, trying to shield mark from donghyuck’s searching gaze. it doesn’t succeed, seeing as donghyuck moves towards their table with purpose, eyes locked on mark.

“minhyung,” comes the soft call. mark marvels at how his name falls from donghyuck’s lips like silk even after a week of not talking. donghyuck is the only person who casually calls him by his full name, and mark can’t find it in himself to complain. “look at me.”

mark turns away.

he closes his book, anger flaring at the sour scent of utter confusion in donghyuck’s usually sweet scent. he refuses to look up because he would lose this fight too, if donghyuck were to worm his way past mark’s defences yet again. jeno moves quietly, facing donghyuck from the other side of the table.

“he doesn’t really feel good,” jeno pipes up, hand still clutching at mark’s tense one. he lets go slowly when mark offers him a watery smile. “ i think it’s best if you two settle this another day.”

donghyuck’s voice turns pleading, “hyung, please. it’s been a week.” the unspoken _i miss you_ hangs in the terse air between the two of them, and as much as mark want to be the benevolent best friend who lets go of donghyuck with a smile, he can’t.

he simply cannot face donghyuck and tell him he’s okay with donghyuck loving someone else. he’s just that selfish.

“it doesn’t seem to make any difference to you,” mark snipes, obnoxious and stinging. poison should be donghyuck’s area of expertise, but right now mark’s too far gone to care. “you didn’t seem to need me.”

“_hyung_,” donghyuck’s voice cracks. “what did i ever do to you? i’m sorry, if that’s what you want to hear.” oh, mark’s fury spikes so high he’s shocked for a moment. so that’s how it going to be? saying sorry and playing nice again?

mark finishes off his drink with a slurp, giving renjun a knowing glare. “sorry doesn’t really take back anything. it doesn’t really fix anything.”

renjun clasps an arm around mark’s shoulders. “maybe this isn’t the best time, donghyuck. you should head back, mark. you’ve got a lot of work to do.” mark thanks renjun in all the languages he knows inside his brain, relaxing just slightly when renjun hugs him briefly. renjun might be the son of a wicked man, but his heart is true.

when mark finally deigns to look at donghyuck, there are tears in his eyes, sadness and fear and anger and pain roiling inside those lovely green irises. mark’s never smelled his own scent before, but his dad tells him that when he’s angry, mark scent changes from rain and fresh coffee to smoke and ozone. he guesses it fits how he’s feeling right now.

“tell me how to fix it,” donghyuck says, when mark brushes past him to leave the place. “how can i do anything if you won’t even tell me what’s wrong? i’m your best friend, mark lee! why won’t you tell me anything?” donghyuck’s voice rises with anguish, and it cracks at the end, sending strikes of pain across mark’s chest.

the day outside the dimly lit shop is bright, contrasted against the crimson décor. mark nods at chenle’s mother as he pulls open the glass door, turning to send donghyuck a sad smile. donghyuck has tears streaming down his cheeks now, and it burns mark so fucking much to know that he’s the one who did this. he’s the one who made donghyuck cry.

“that’s the thing, donghyuck,” mark murmurs. “we’re just best friends.”

..

it’s been days.

mark spends his days studying for finals and waiting for the day he can leave this wretched place behind and start chasing his own story. jaemin and renjun and jeno and chenle are constantly hovering around him, annoying him and all in all successfully keeping his mind off that one person who’s never really left him.

chenle’s been talkibg about this new kid, a son of the flash whose power is apparently electricity manipulation unlike his father’s super speed. he recalls chenle mentioning this _jisung_ a couple of times during their conversations, but he can barely hear anything through the endless buzzing in his head.

the seat next to him is empty, as it has been for the past two weeks.

jaemin scribbles noisily in his notebook, messy scrawl appearing faster than mark can track. renjun is sketching something on a sheet of paper, probably jeno’s side profile. jeno is napping happily on the picnic table, arms tucked under his head. chenle’s just about disappeared.

this is his group, but it feels like its missing something.

a voice tinkles from the other side of the grassy courtyard, laughter ringing melodically. mark closes his eyes and forces himself not to look. he’s seen enough for two weeks and he can’t even begin to fathom how he’s going to have to watch this for the rest of the remaining term.

donghyuck is hanging off yukhei’s arm, a group of boys surrounding them and chuckling loud enough to attract more than a few pairs of eyes. the chinese dude at the head says something, and donghyuck replies with a loud _yangyang!_ mark feels like he’s in his own personal hell.

“you should’ve talked to him,” jaemin mutters, twirling his pen carelessly. even with jeno in their ranks, they’re categorized as the villain crew; while yukhei, albeit a villain kid, hangs out with the popular hero crew. he’s accepted; they’re not.

it’s no wonder donghyuck won’t come back after he’s had a taste of that.

mark silences the thought. donghyuck isn’t that kind of person, no matter how bad of a person he might make donghyuck out to be. mark spoons another mouthful of stew into his mouth and swallows, ignoring the burn of the scalding food and jaemin’s unneeded jab.

renjun sighs. “you really shouldn’t be fighting. not when you’re scheduled to leave right after graduation.” he waves mark’s acceptance letter knowingly. the white envelope seems to mock mark, and it’s a forced choice: choose donghyuck, or choose his future.

he doesn’t know how to choose, when right now there’s only once very obvious choice sitting under his nose. mark’s parents support him, but donghyuck……

he’s a different story.

donghyuck’s been ignoring him after the fight at chenle’s and isn’t that what mark wants? mark’s only been feeling lonelier and colder every day that passes. not a really good choice.

he isn’t even sure of himself now. did he friendzone donghyuck? or was he simply agreeing to the borders donghyuck had set down so long ago? mark doesn’t know.

“does he know?” renjun says softly, placing his hand on top of mark’s. the neat font printed on the envelope glare at mark accusingly, black against white. mark shakes his head.

a soft breeze blows past mark and renjun, bringing with it the scent of roses and honey. mark stifles a sob. his insides hurt, his head hurts, his chest hurts— everything hurts and mark wants it to just _stop_. why won’t the world leave him be? he’s sick and tired of worrying and loving and being human.

why couldn’t he have been born a cruel, heartless supervillain? that would have made things so much easier.

“i’m not gonna start ugly crying,” mark snorts as he takes the tissue from jaemin’s extended hand. the boy sitting opposite him has a rare gentleness in his eyes, mismatched as they may be. jeno stirs beside jaemin, smiling sleepily at mark. “relax, jaem.”

jaemin’s eyes shout out loud and clear that jaemin doesn’t believe mark at all, but he doesn’t call him out. “you really should find him. at least tell him why you’re avoiding him.” jeno voices softly, gently, like mark is going to snap if provoked.

“i won’t and you know that.” mark glares at jaemin. jaemin points at his eyes, wiggling his eyebrows in warning. mark forces his eyes shut. there’s gold sparking behind his eyelids.

renjun squeezes his shoulder. “don’t go all wolf on me. i’m not my dad, i literally won’t survive if you decide you wanna kill me.” mark laughs —albeit weakly— at the joke. renjun knows best about his shifting abilities. he’s not his dad and he won’t ever be his dad.

would it be easier to woo donghyuck if he were more like his dad? maybe, or maybe not. mark doesn’t really know. “i wish i could. would’ve been easier if i actually could.”

“let’s just focus on finals,” jaemin cuts in, deciding he’s had enough. the black choker at his throat gleams, and jeno, for all his gentlemanly charms, can’t resist taking a look. mark notes it down, offers jeno a grin. jeno shakes his head in response.

“yeah.”

donghyuck’s laughter is still echoing in his ears and he doesn’t know whether he likes it or not.

..

donghyuck tries to talk to him a few times. mark supposes he’s done with their cold war and wants to talk. he ignores donghyuck and walks away. donghyuck never manages to find him.

jaemin is trying to get mark to tutor him because apparently, he’s failing at that one subject and he really needs a good grade to take home to his parents. mark chances upon yukhei one day in the chemistry lab and the taller boy recognizes him with a cold glint in his eye.

mark swallows. yukhei is a full head taller than him and has a full ten pounds of muscle on him.

“you’re donghyuck’s apparent best friend, aren’t you?” the son of the black swan purrs at him, a tattoo peeking just above the collar of his creamy sweater. mark unconsciously strokes the wolf on his neck, feeling its ridges and seeking comfort in the fact that he’s not all that geeky.

mark nods. he continues to jot down experiment results in his notes, hoping that maybe yukhei will leave him alone. or maybe yukhei will think he’s boring and walk away. mark tries not to glance at the intimidating figure that is his best friend’s boyfriend.

_boyfriend_. he tries to not let it get to him.

yukhei huffs a breath. “you’ve been hurting him, you know? you’re all he talks about nowadays.” mark snaps his head up at that, looking curiously in yukhei’s direction. jaemin has been talking to donghyuck every other day and yet he hasn’t told mark this.

“i don’t really care, if you haven’t realized,” mark forces out through gritted teeth. great, now he’s been reduced to lying to a stranger. mark doesn’t not care— he just cares a little too much to be normal.

“you should.”

mark doesn’t react. he can scent yukhei’s scent sharpening beside him, a bitter tang of anger paired with some sourness that seems like—

jealousy? mark freezes in place, sniffing slightly to make sure he’s not smelling this wrong. yep, definitely jealousy. mark spins to face yukhei, nostrils flaring at the sharp whirlwind of smells that floods his senses. the eucalyptus and pine spreading from yukhei’s raging pheromones make mark dizzy with the utter force of their agitation.

mark inches toward the exit. yukhei is full on glaring at him now, eyes flashing and fists clenched. there’s too much glass inside the lab to risk, if yukhei really wants a fight. mark’s body is tingling all over, shaking and trembling with his wolf threatening to break free. mark puts in effort, tries to hold it in.

“if you haven’t noticed, donghyuck still cares way more about you than me,” yukhei snarls, and mark moves a step backward. this yukhei is different from the laid-back guy donghyuck loves hanging out with and mark is scared, terrified even. “are you too much of a coward to do even that?”

mark inhales. “look, i don’t want a fight. let’s just forget this and go our separate ways, yeah?”

“you’re scared,” yukhei challenges. “you’re scared donghyuck’s gonna push you away if you don’t distance yourself. why are you scared, little puppy? just a little dog chasing after his lovely flower.”

mark resists the anger that wells at the insult. he absolutely _hates_ being called a puppy. “you wouldn’t be doing this if you were scared he’d leave you for me.”

“oh, now that’s low,” yukhei glares even harder, smirking. “you’re not denying anything though? little mutt.”

_mutt_. mark swallows the insult deeply, lets the fury seep into every pore and stares back at yukhei. he’s sure his eyes are flashing gold now, canines bared and claws sprouting from where nails are supposed to be.

what he doesn’t know is that fur is sprouting from his neck, rising like hackles on a wolf. yukhei taunts him again, “scared to attack, doggy? you’re not even a full wolf. can’t even transform properly.”

mark’s vision goes blank. there’s a muffled roar, and a panicked scream when mark launches himself at yukhei, all fur and claws and sharp teeth and all _wolf_. yukhei grapples with him, grabbing desperately at his huge paws that’s about as large as yukhei’s whole face.

mark’s never fully transformed before. the scents are overwhelming, vision too sharp, and mark just feels this terrible anger inside him, boiling and burning his insides. he moves on pure instinct, and when he sinks his teeth into warm flesh, the taste of blood coats his tongue.

it feels good, to finally give in to the hidden instinct. it’s easy to pull away from yukhei and his bleeding arm and growl at him. he’s almost yukhei’s size like this, when yukhei is on the ground and smelling to fresh meat.

he feels powerful. wicked.

he feels like a villain. mark embraces the feeling.

when he pads away, yukhei still hasn’t uttered a sound.

..

jaemin yelps when mark turns up at his doorstep, muzzle bloody and fur gleaming. renjun and chenle peer at him from behind jaemin, eyes widening comically. mark whines, shaking his head and ruffling the fur there. jaemin releases a long breath, reaching to stroke mark’s head gingerly.

“is that you? mark?” mark bobs his head in eager response. jaemin blinks again. “you’re so beautiful.”

renjun shoves jaemin aside roughly, cupping mark’s head in his small hands. “you can shift? you shifted? what happened?” mark shakes his head and nudges renjun’s hands away, padding into the boys’ shared home.

the sky outside is still light, sunshine stilted at a certain degree to send mark’s shadow lengthening until he’s disappeared into the house. everyone follows behind him wordlessly.

mark bumps into a boy walking next to jeno who emerges from a room with his long hair down and mouth open to say something. he shuts his mouth when mark barks at him and struts on into jaemin’s kitchen.

“that’s jisung,” chenle introduces, motioning to the shocked boy who gapes at mark. “he’s the flash’s kid, and my new best friend!” mark barks in approval, nodding once and then hopping up onto one of the tall stools beside the kitchen island. “we even got matching hair!”

it’s then when mark realizes the yellow highlights in chenle’s hair are matched by the red ones in jisung’s silver locks. the newcomer’s bright red eyes bore into mark’s skin, scorching in its intensity. _another curious hero kid_, mark thinks, baring his teeth in what he hopes resembles a smile.

the kid cringes away. mark shuts his muzzle.

“can you shift back?” jeno asks. mark shakes his head. he’s tried turning human on his way here, but he doesn’t seem able to. he shrugs his shoulders helplessly. jeno squints at him.

renjun taps his shoulder, and mark turns to see renjun poking a stick at his eyelid. mark huffs a snort of hot air, blinks quickly. it tickles. mark sneezes, and a portion of his snout turns halfway into a nose.

“tickle him!” renjun screeches, and the boys fall on mark, tickling him relentlessly until mark is somewhat humanoid again, with too big teeth and hands that end in claws. mark wills those to vanish and sits up, coughing. he marvels at the fact that he’s still wearing pristine clothes. apparently shifting doesn’t affect his clothing.

renjun sits up, gasping for breath. “what happened?”

“yukhei tried to pick a fight. called me a dog,” mark pants, swiping sweat from his brow. he feels exhausted, like he’s just finished running a marathon. “wait till i tell my dad, he’s going to be so happy i can shift.”

“he called you a dog?” jeno echoes in disbelief. “what nerve.”

“i took out a part of his arm.” mark whistles proudly. he doesn’t mention the bout of glee that had surged in him at causing suffering. that would only make the rest of them worry because mark lee is kind. mark lee doesn’t hurt other people on purpose.

mark doesn’t even know who he is anymore. now that the haze of shifting has cleared, his mind feels sharper but he’s more lost than ever. is he bad for feeling like that? is he allowed to let his emotions get the better of him like that? mark is confused.

only one thing is clear. he’s hurt the person donghyuck loves most at the moment, and he knows there will be hell to pay for that.

..

finals aren’t all that hard. mark has finished his paper and passed up all his projects half an hour before the scheduled end of the exam. he wonders if he should get coffee while waiting for the rest of his little group to come out from their respective exams.

donghyuck seeks him out after his final exam ends. mark is halfway through deciding which set of notes to discard in front of the big recycling bin when a hand taps on his shoulder. he turns and gets a mouthful of donghyuck-smelling air.

“are you done?” donghyuck asks coldly. “i’ve played enough of your stupid games. can we just,” he flails his hands in the air, “make up and be over this?”

mark takes a minute to appreciate donghyuck in his new clothes. a denim jacket over a new t-shirt adorns donghyuck’s body, bringing out the sharp contours of his figure. donghyuck’s skin is tinged green today, reminiscent of his plant-based heritage. “there’s nothing i have to say.”

“you hurt yukhei,” donghyuck accuses. “your first time shifting, and you decide to puncture a huge wound in yukhei’s arm? that’s not funny, mark.”

mark turns away, hurt. “so? yukhei’s allowed to call me a filthy dog, and i’m not allowed to bite him?”

“he called you a dog?”

“does it bother you?” mark gathers his papers neatly and steps backward from donghyuck. there are a thousand different feeling raging inside his heart right now, but he tries not to show it. he loves donghyuck too much to force this on him.

he loves donghyuck. mark gasps softly at his final acknowledgement of that fact_. i love donghyuck_.

it couldn’t have come at a worse moment.

“yes, it does.” donghyuck blocks his way. “you’ve been avoiding me, and i—” donghyuck chokes, and for a moment he seems so small in front of mark. “i don’t want to keep fighting.”

mark sighs. he reaches out to cup donghyuck’s chin, pulling the younger up to look him in the eye. “if everything were that simple this would have ended a long time ago.”

“then why don’t you end it?”

“because i love you,” mark breathes, so softly and so, so gently. it breaks his heart to say it, knowing donghyuck will walk away and never look at him again. he pulls away.

when mark has already turned and walked halfway down the hall, donghyuck shouts his name, and his footsteps echo down the empty corridor. mark spins only to have donghyuck crashing into his arms in a desperate hug. mark embraces him, drops everything he’s holding to wrap the younger boy tightly in his arms.

it’s cliché enough for mark to chuckle. donghyuck sniffles, buries his head deeper into mark’s chest and whines softly, “why didn’t you tell me? god knows how long i’ve been pining after you—”

“what do you mean?”

“it means i love you too, lee minhyung,” donghyuck answers, peeking up at mark with watering eyes. his lovely green irises sparkle when mark turns gold ones down at him, glowing with warmth and hope. “it means i broke up with yukhei and decided that i was gonna get you back no matter what. it means i love you so much it’s cheesy.”

mark can’t help it. he laughs, throaty and high, and picks donghyuck up, spins him in a circle. donghyuck giggles and smacks his chest, all musical and everything mark has ever wanted to hear. “we’re both idiots.”

“i thought you didn’t like me,” donghyuck confesses. “you kept pushing me away and i just thought if you didn’t want me i’d find someone who did. but i just can’t not think about you.”

“cheesy.”

“only for you.” mark grins. he intertwines their fingers and pulls donghyuck close, breathing in the scent of fresh flowers and everything beautiful in the world and he feels so lucky to finally have donghyuck here like this, smiling and happy.

he’s not proud of himself, but he can change. they all can.

maybe this time around, donghyuck will be a part of his story. maybe they can write their own story.

mark pulls donghyuck close and crashes their mouths together, because he’s just a hopeless romantic who’s loved donghyuck too long and too deeply, and he wants it to end like this. mark and donghyuck, donghyuck and mark.

the wolf and the flower. they’re a match made in heaven, and until the day the sun never rises again, their stars are aligned in the sky and mark is never going to let him go.

**Author's Note:**

> @torunotes on ig let’s be friends :)


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